TSR Example from the worst TSR adventure module(s) ever published

[NotZenon]

Hahaha, man its been awhile since i laughed that hard. That winter wolves/apples encounter just did me in.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Welcome to the Club of Enlightened Oracles!*










* Yes, you many now tell people you are a CEO.

 

[David Howery]

"% in liar" is a typo right out of OD&D, Monsters and Treasures. Ray Winninger has a great story about a campaign he played in in the old days that used % in Liar as the % chance that anything the creature says is a lie. However, that went for NPCs, too. Elves had a 25% chance, so the elf henchman they had with them lied 1/4 of the time, no matter what. So they'd go to town after leaving the dungeon to resupply and a player would ask the elf henchman if he needed any food.

The DM would roll dice, and the helpless elf who hadn't eaten in days would sigh, and say "no." So the PCs would go about their business, and the elf eventually starved to death.

this one gets me every time. the idea of an NPC dying of starvation because the rules force him to lie about being hungry is hilarious...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I loved "% in liar", even though it made no sense.

(WTF, "in" liar?)

 

[TarionzCousin]

I loved "% in liar", even though it made no sense.

(WTF, "in" liar?)

Lying was hip and cool, daddy-o. It was in with the "In Crowd."

 

[Aldarron]

I loved "% in liar", even though it made no sense.

(WTF, "in" liar?)

Hidden in Shadows: % in Lair

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hidden in Shadows: % in Lair

You missed the point, friend- there were frequently typos on monster entries that read "in liar" as opposed to "in lair".

"% in liar" is a typo right out of OD&D, Monsters and Treasures. Ray Winninger has a great story about a campaign he played in in the old days that used % in Liar as the % chance that anything the creature says is a lie. However, that went for NPCs, too. Elves had a 25% chance, so the elf henchman they had with them lied 1/4 of the time, no matter what. So they'd go to town after leaving the dungeon to resupply and a player would ask the elf henchman if he needed any food.

The DM would roll dice, and the helpless elf who hadn't eaten in days would sigh, and say "no." So the PCs would go about their business, and the elf eventually starved to death.

 

[renau1g]

I have a solution: Let's write our own encounters!

14. The Winter Wolf. As the party enters the clearing, they see a pile of apples. Read the description below:



The apples have no secret compartments. As the party approaches the apples, they hear a howl. A local winter wolf (AC 5; MV 18"; HD 5+1; hp 27 each; #AT 1; Dmg 1-8 [bite]; SA Surprise on 1-4, cold breath; SD immune to cold) has been collecting all the apples in the forest in order to lure prey to the clearing. If anyone takes an apple or gets too close or avoids the apples, the wolf leaps out of the pile and attacks. Roll 1d6 to determine surprise: 1-2: the party is surprised, 3-3, nobody is surprised, 3-5 the party is surprised, 6 the apples are surprised. The wolf once drank a potion of sleep, but is awake now because it is not near a pavilion. It will attempt to use its cold breath on anyone near the apples, or anyone not near the apples. After two rounds of combat wererats (AC 6; MV 12"; HD 3+1; hp 16 each; #AT 1; Dmg 1-8 [sword]; SA Surprise on 1-4; SD Hit only by silver or +1 or better magic weapons) will leap out of the secret door. Roll 1d6 for the sleep spells target.

After the party kills the wolf, they can take the apples and the golden statue of the dragon as well.

I just had to note that even though this post is like 7 years old I still laugh every time I read it.......

 

[Al'Kelhar]

"If anyone takes an apple or gets too close or avoids the apples, the wolf leaps out of the pile and attacks. Roll 1d6 to determine surprise: 1-2: the party is surprised, 3-3, nobody is surprised, 3-5 the party is surprised, 6 the apples are surprised..."

So, if the party is surprised, and the apples aren't, it must mean that the apples... wait for it, wait for it... got the drop on the party

<badum, tching>

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

"If anyone takes an apple or gets too close or avoids the apples, the wolf leaps out of the pile and attacks. Roll 1d6 to determine surprise: 1-2: the party is surprised, 3-3, nobody is surprised, 3-5 the party is surprised, 6 the apples are surprised..."

So, if the party is surprised, and the apples aren't, it must mean that the apples... wait for it, wait for it... got the drop on the party

<badum, tching>

At last! Someone who understands the gravity of the situation!